Gregg Popovich: LaMarcus Aldridge Asked to be Traded in Offseason

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich revealed Thursday that forward LaMarcus Aldridge requested a trade over the summer, which in turn led to some critical self-examination.

Popovich pointed to that candid interaction with Aldridge as somewhat of a catalyst for the two coming to a better understanding before the start of the season. Asked what helped to bring about Aldridge’s resurgent 2017-18 campaign, Popovich deadpanned: “When he said, ‘I want to be traded.'”

“It’s as simple as that,” Popovich said. “I said, ‘Whoa, nobody’s ever said that to me before.’ It’s my 20-whatever year, and nobody’s ever said that like, ‘I’m not enjoying this. I’m not confident. I’m not sure you want me here. I want to be traded.'”

During training camp, Aldridge told ESPN that in a meeting over the summer with Popovich he “just spilled my heart about how I felt about how things were, and how things had been going.”

Sources: Suns to Meet with Jimmer Fredette

The Phoenix Suns will meet with former BYU star and Sacramento Kings first-round pick Jimmer Fredette on Thursday, according to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro.

Gambadoro reports the Suns could sign Fredette through the rest of the season. The Suns currently have an open roster spot.

The 30-year-old guard is currently playing for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association. On Tuesday, the Sharks were eliminated from the postseason. Fredette averaged 36.9 points per game for Shanghai, the league’s top mark.